How to treat a cold using ordinary home remedies

Go get a 4 oz glass and fill it with warm salt water (about 1 tablespoon per 4 oz of water) and gargle deep in your throat.  This will ease the sore throat and actually make it feel better.  Baking soda will work just as good and doesn’t taste as salty.  Make sure the water is very warm (but not hot) for best effect.  It also helps to clear up all of that sticky gunk that is running down your throat.  (Hint:  can't stand the saltiness--try using less salt.)

Try using vapor-rub (brand name Vicks)--(generic medicated chest rub).  What you need is the eucalyptus.  Put it under your nose, on your chest, on a face cloth next to your face, in a hot cup of water that you sniff or leave by your bed side, or open the jar and smell it.  That’s right, open it and smell it.  The effect is in the aromatics of the eucalyptus, not in anything that your body needs to absorb (although when put on the chest it is warm and soothing).  Take a hot (not warm) shower and let the hot water fill the shower with steam.  The steam will ease your aches and help with the stuffy nose.  Try putting a blob of vapor-rub in the tub with you for extra help when the steam rises. 

Try putting a tablespoon of salt and vapor-rub in a pan of boiling (lots of bubbles) water and sitting over it with a towel over your head (yes, it sounds old fashioned, but it works).  You can also try sitting up rather than lying down.  Sitting up helps keep the lungs more open thus making it easier to breath. 

Open up your lip balm (for chapped lips) and rub your finger over the top.  Now rub below your nostrils.  You can do this as often as you want and before long your nose won’t hurt anymore.  I know, I know, everyone says to use lotion, but lotion burns, folks, and the lip balm doesn’t.  Don’t have any lip balm (did you check in the bottom of the purse or coat pocket), OK, try petroleum jelly (name brand Vaseline).  It works just as good, even if it is a bit greasy. 

You need fluids and the chicken stock and the tea will help with that, but, let’s face it, we are drying out with all the coughing and aches and low-grade fever.  What we need is something long and cool, right?  Well, maybe.  Sometimes we don't really get the liquids we need because with a cold we often feel a bit, well, queasy. First, use clear liquids (liquids you can actually see through) because others might be too heavy or sweet.

Try ginger tea or ginger ale for that queasy stomach and added fluid.  For the Ginger Ale: don't drink it right out of the bottle.  Instead, pour it into a glass and stir it until the bubbles are gone (or let it sit stirring occasionally).  Then you can add ice and sip it through a straw.

If ginger ale isn't your choice for drinking, a flat cola (fix like the ginger ale) is okay in small quantities.  However, it is not usually recommended if your stomach is queasy.  If all else fails, try drinking ice-cold lemonade (slightly sour).  That will sometimes help the queasiness as well and the cold of the drink will help your throat. 

I have forgotten about all those things you will have to carry with you while you try to work through your day.  I know how much of a bother it is to carry a box of tissue around (and a roll of toilet tissue just makes you look silly).  And you can’t carry a hot tea with alcohol around at work or when you are driving.  Not to mention a heating pad while working.  The boss wouldn’t like that at all.  So, what to do, what to do.... 

• For the aches and pains, you could use a hot patch or a gel that heats up, just remember to keep the area covered with a shirt or sweater to avoid an added chill in the muscles
• Make your tea or drink up (NO alcohol) and put in a thermos to sip during the day
• Heat up soup or broth and put in a thermos to sip
• Put small packets of bouillon or soup in a coffee cup and place in your lunch box for lunch
• Carry lip balm in your pocket, purse, or briefcase
• Carry the acetaminophen or aspirin in a small container marked as such
• Carry a small plastic cup and a resealable bag with salt for gargling
• If you don't have a small box of tissue, you can put several tissues in a small resealable bag and slip into pocket or purse (refill as necessary) or make up several and store them in your lunch bag for easy retrieval
• Carry a small container of hand sanitizer to use after sneezing or blowing your nose